Question Downstate Illinois/St. Louis 1956

[cavita]

This may be a long shot, but I was hoping someone may have some info on the following- looking through my newly-received FBI file on Rockford LCN member Phil Cannella, they mention that Milwaukee LCN member-turned-informant Augie Maniaci gave some information on Cannella being made.

Maniaci stated that Cannella was made a Rockford LCN member sometime around 1956 and that him being made was based on him “settling some business” in downstate Illinois. That business was most likely a murder possibly involving counterfeit cigarette tax stamps.

Now, the Rockford FBI office requested the Springfield Division look into any “unsolved hoodlum killings” in Southern Illinois relating to this. I imagine this could have included the St. Louis area since that city and Springfield worked closely together.

Anyone have any ideas on any murders or counterfeit cigarette stamps in that area at that time?

[PolackTony]

Good info and interesting question. Offhand, I can't think of any murders that would fit the bill, though I'm sure with enough digging there could well be some candidate murders or missing persons cases that could be related.

The counterfeit cigarette tax stamp angle could be a big lead. In 1951-1952, a major scandal erupted when a bunch of mob-connected tobacco stores in Chicago were found to be selling cigarettes with counterfeit tax stamps, thereby defrauding the State of IL to the tune of $13 million a year, reportedly (thus, ~$166 mil a year in unpaid taxes in today's dollars). The tax stamps were said to have been printed by 4 stamp machines reported "stolen" by Dom Cortina in 1949. The scandal part came when investigators revealed that officials with the IL Department of Revenue were intentionally overlooking the counterfeit stamps, including Chicago LCN associate Joe Laino, a protege and close friend of John D'Arco and Pat Marcy who was then working as an investigator for the IL Revenue Department's Liquor and Tobacco Division. The ensuing investigation and crackdown on counterfeit cigarette stamps likely was one of a series of stains on Accardo's tenure as boss, as a lot of Chicago guys in that period were said to have been making a lot of money off this racket and thus lost a lot of income.

I'd think that similar or connected activities were occurring also in other parts of IL, as the mafia had clearly corrupted IL State Revenue officials. Given the IL State angle, it's also possible that someone could've gotten whacked down in Springfield related to this. If so, wouldn't surprise me if Springfield called some Rockford guys in to assist in or carry out violence, given the close relationships between these Families along with the Rockford outfit presumably having a much greater capacity for rough work than Springfield by this period.

[cavita]

Good info and interesting question. Offhand, I can't think of any murders that would fit the bill, though I'm sure with enough digging there could well be some candidate murders or missing persons cases that could be related.

The counterfeit cigarette tax stamp angle could be a big lead. In 1951-1952, a major scandal erupted when a bunch of mob-connected tobacco stores in Chicago were found to be selling cigarettes with counterfeit tax stamps, thereby defrauding the State of IL to the tune of $13 million a year, reportedly (thus, ~$166 mil a year in unpaid taxes in today's dollars). The tax stamps were said to have been printed by 4 stamp machines reported "stolen" by Dom Cortina in 1949. The scandal part came when investigators revealed that officials with the IL Department of Revenue were intentionally overlooking the counterfeit stamps, including Chicago LCN associate Joe Laino, a protege and close friend of John D'Arco and Pat Marcy who was then working as an investigator for the IL Revenue Department's Liquor and Tobacco Division. The ensuing investigation and crackdown on counterfeit cigarette stamps likely was one of a series of stains on Accardo's tenure as boss, as a lot of Chicago guys in that period were said to have been making a lot of money off this racket and thus lost a lot of income.

I'd think that similar or connected activities were occurring also in other parts of IL, as the mafia had clearly corrupted IL State Revenue officials. Given the IL State angle, it's also possible that someone could've gotten whacked down in Springfield related to this. If so, wouldn't surprise me if Springfield called some Rockford guys in to assist in or carry out violence, given the close relationships between these Families along with the Rockford outfit presumably having a much greater capacity for rough work than Springfield by this period.

Maybe related to the above? This article was from late 1956.